So, how can your call center ensure compliance, even amidst the challenges and changes of compliance requirements?
Follow these best practices.
- Keep employees updated with regular training and refreshers. One of the best ways to ensure your call center is compliant is to ensure that employees stay updated with regular compliance information, and to keep compliance top-of-mind for employees. The more training you can do, the more employees will be familiar with compliance regulations and eventually find them second-nature. In addition, ongoing training provides regular updates for changing regulations, and sends a strong signal that compliance is a priority for your call center.
- Implement robust data protection measures. In cases where compliance can vary from state to state or country to country, make a habit of implementing the most robust compliance or protection measures available. Doing so not only helps ensure you are meeting minimum requirements, but also reduces your risk of data breaches or other security leaks. Provide mandatory disclosures, keep customers informed of security or data protection needs as necessary, and have strict regulations for managing sensitive information.
- Perform regular audits and quality control checks. Audits of your compliance processes and regulations can not only help assess and ensure compliance from employees, but can also proactively identify and address any areas of concern. Regular monitoring and quality control checks can ensure compliance from agents on a day-to-day basis and highlight any areas where further training or updating protocol is needed as well.
- Use modern technology and compliance monitoring tools. Manual monitoring is traditionally how compliance was measured and verified, but with the level of call and communication volume most call centers see today, it’s simply not possible. Modern technology and monitoring systems allow you to record and monitor every call, chat, email or other communication and automatically analyze them for compliance with internal and industry standards. This allows management and QA managers to more effectively and quickly monitor compliance and address any problems or concerns. Some modern technology can also flag the agent in real-time, allowing them to correct the compliance error immediately, rather than having to wait for a supervisor to notice and alert them.
